Folded air leaflet



July 3, 1956 T. B. WEISS 2,752,711

FOLDED AIR LEAFLE'I' Filed Sept. 50. 1952 Fig 3 Thomas B. Weiss INVENTOR.

BY FM Attomq:

United States Patent 2,752,711 FOLDED AiR LEAFLET mamas B. Weiss, P'alo Alta, @1151. Application September 30, 1952; Serial No. 312,186 3 Claims. Ci. to- 127) This invention relatesin general to air leaflets; and more specifically to a specific manner of folding air leaflets whereby their effective dimensions may be greatly reduced.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved air leaflet which may befolded into a very compact state whereby it may be easily concealed and at the same time afford suflicient surface for a desired message.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved air leaflet which includes a sheet folded along a plurality of fold lines to provide a plurality of overlapping flange portions, said air leaflet being provided with offset flanges adapted to engage air while passing therethrough to cause rotation of the leaflet.

scattered over a large area.

With these objects definitely in view; this inveiltion' resides in certain novel features of construction, eoinbifiation and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and il lustiited in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of air leaflet conforming to the spirit of the invention and shows the same in a folded state;

Figure 2 is an end view of the air leaflet of Figure l as viewed from the right and shows the manner in which a sheet forming the same is folded;

Figure 3 is an end view of a modified form of air leaflet showing the manner in which a small sheet may be folded to have the same effective size as the air leaflet of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an end view of still another modified form of air leaflet and shows the manner in which a large sheet may be folded to have the same general area as the leaflet of Figure 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated an air leaflet which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The air leaflet is formed of a single sheet of suitable light weight material, such as tissue paper, which has been folded along a plurality of spaced parallel fold lines so as to be relatively compact.

As is best illustrated in Figure 2, the sheet from which the air leaflet 10 has been formed is provided with a fold line 12 adjacent one edge thereof and the same has been substantially reversely bent therealong to form a relatively narrow flange 14. In spaced parallel relation to the fold line 12 is a second fold line 16 along which the sheet has been folded to form a first flange portion 18, a flange portion 18 forming an exterior surface of the leaflet 10.

The sheet from which the leaflet 10 has been folded includes a fold line 20 adjacent an opposite edge thereof. The sheet has been folded along said fold line 20 to form 2,752,71 I l atented July 3, 1956 the fold lines I6 and 24 has also resulted m a central flange t r.

portion 34-. By so folding the central flange portion 28,- thecer'itral portion thereof is of a triple thickness.

When the air' leaflet 10 is folded for packing, the narrow flanges 14 and 22 overlie edge portions of the outer flanges 26' and 18, respectively, to form an extremely compact unit, as is best illustrated iii Figure I. When the air leaflet is dropped from an airplane or the like, the narrow flanges 14 and 22, engage the air during the downward passage of the air leaflet theretfirougfi and results in the rotation of the same.- The fotat-ion of the air leafletnot only attracts attention of persons on the ground, but also decreases the rate of descent from its point of dropping; The slowed descent plus the horizontal travel of the air leaflet results in athorough scattering of the same over a large area when a plurality of leaflets are simultaneously QrPs Referring now to Figure 3, it will be seen that there is illustrated a modified form of air leaflet which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 36.- The air leaflet 36 is also formed of a single sheetfoldedalong a plurality of fold lines to a compact state. The air leaflet 36 differs from the air leaflet it) only in the folding of a central flange portion thereof. The air leaflet 36 includes a first narrow flange 38 caused by folding the sheet along a fold line 40 adjacent one edge thereof. The sheet is also folded along a fold line 42 which is in spaced parallel relation to the fold line 40 and an outer flange portion 44 is formed by such folding operation. The air leaflet 36 also includes a second narrow flange 46 which is formed by folding the sheet along a fold line 48 adjacent an opposite edge thereof. The sheet is also folded along a fold line 50, which is in spaced parallel relation to the fold line 48, to form a second outer flange portion 52.

The folding of the sheet along the fold lines 42 and 50 results in the formation of a central flange portion 54 which is integral with the outer flange portions 44 and 52 and which extends between opposite edges thereof.

The narrow flanges 38 and 46 extend in opposite directions and when the air leaflet 36 is in a folded state overlies edges of the outer flange portions 52 and 44, re spectively.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated an air leaflet, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 56, conforming to the general spirit of this invention, but being folded in a slightly different manner from the air leaflets l0 and 36. The sheet forming the air leaflet 56 is substantially reversely bent along a first fold line 58 adjacent one edge thereof to form an outer flange portion 60. The sheet is also reversely bent along spaced parallel fold lines 62 an inner flange portion 72 which,

is in a compact state, is in face to face engagement with the outer flange portion 60.

The sheet forming the air leaflet 56 is provided with a fold line 74 adjacent an opposite edge thereof along which the same is folded to form a second outer flange portion 76, the flange portion 76 being in substantially spaced parallel relation to the outer flange portion 69. The sheet is reversely bent along fold lines 78 and 80 which are in spaced parallel relation to form relatively narrow flanges 82 and 84 which are in substantially the same relation as are the flanges 66 and 68. The sheet is further folded along a fold line 86 which is in spaced parallel relation to the outer fold lines to form an inner flange portion 88. The inner flange portion 83 is adapted to be in face to face engagement with the outer flange portion 76 when the air leaflet 56 is in a folded state and in either the folded or open state is in spaced parallel relation to the inner flange portion 72.

The folding of the sheet along the fold lines 70 and 86 is also in the formation of a central flange portion 90 which extends between opposite edges of the inner flange portions 72 and 88 and is integral therewith.

When the air leaflet 56 is in a folded state, the flanges 66 and 68, and the flanges 82 and 84 are in face to face engagement and overlay edges of the outer flange portions 76 and 60, respectively. When the air leaflet 56 is dropped, the passage of the same through the air results in the movement of the flanges 66 and 68, and the flanges 82 and 84 to angular positions relative to other portions of the leaflet. The flanges then engage the air during the passage thereof therethrough with the result that the air leaflet 56 is also rotated during its downward flight.

It will be seen that one of the principal advantages of folding a sheet forming an air leaflet to a compact state is that the same may be easily hidden in the event that the air leaflet is dropped in enemy territory and contains propaganda.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An air leaflet comprising an elongated tissue paper sheet folded along a plurality of spaced parallel fold lines to form overlapping flange portions, narrow reversely bent flanges formed at edges of certain of said flange portions projecting outwardly of the general plane of the leaflet to form air engaging portions for causing rotation of the leaflet, said flanges being disposed at acute angles to said flange portions and overlying edges of said flange portions to retain said flange portions in closely adjacent relation, said narrow flanges being oppositely directed.

2. An air leaflet comprising an elongated tissue paper sheet folded along a plurality of spaced parallel fold lines to form overlapping flange portions, narrow reversely bent flanges formed at edges of certain of said flange portions projecting outwardly of the general plane of the leaflet to form air engaging portions for causing rotation of the leaflet, said flanges being disposed at acute angles to said flange portions and overlying edges of said flange portions to retain said flange portions in closely adjacent relation, said narrow flanges being disposed at edges of said sheet.

3. An air leaflet comprising an elongated sheet folded along a plurality of spaced parallel fold lines to form overlapping similar flange portions, narrow flanges formed at edges of certain of said flange portions projecting outwardly of the general plane of said flange portions to form air engaging portions for causing rotation of the leaflet, said narrow flanges being disposed intermediate the edges of said sheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 37,590 Pratt Feb. 3, 1863 585,805 Wilhelmi July 6, 1897 854,359 Johnson May 21, 1907 FQREIGN PATENTS 419,768 France Jan. 14, 1911 

